When it comes to wooden furniture, most of you know that there are several types. It is not the hardness of the wood that sets them apart when it comes to picking up your furniture. Absolute contrast is a bit more complex.
How easy it was to cut wood in logging camps is possibly the origin of the original names hardwood and softwood. Balsa wood, although very soft, is classified as hardwood, this is a rarity rather than the rule.
To know why a tree is classified as hard or soft, we have to go back to its propagation. Angiosperm seeds, which are seeds with a top layer of husk or pith, grow hardwood trees, while gymnosperm seeds, which do not have a shell, grow softwood trees. Softwoods keep their needles or leaves throughout the year and grow much faster than hardwoods. Although softwood has almost 100 fewer variations than hardwood, it accounts for more than 3/4 of the world’s lumber production. Typical hardwoods are mahogany, maple, oak, or teak, while softwoods are typically pine, cedar, or redwood.
The most significant difference comes from the microscopic composition. Hardwoods have pores that allow water to pass through, while softwoods do not. The differences between the grades in both hardwoods and softwoods relate to this. Generally speaking, hardwood furniture is usually of better quality. Its surface is more resistant to scratches and since the furniture is more solid, it is solid and therefore lasts longer. Furniture made from hardwood is also more visually appealing due to its complicated cellular structure, which creates various patterns on the surface that are not as visible on softwood furniture.
However, softwood furniture has its own recognition. Environmental care is necessary as softwood trees grow faster and forest regeneration is faster. Softwood lumber processing is not as difficult, so costs can be kept low, resulting in savings for the consumer.
When you buy softwood furniture, you must be aware that it damages more easily, therefore, you must take care of it. On the other hand, hardwood can last for years if cared for properly. For example, the same seats in your local church may have been used by many generations of your own family.
The most damaging problem of wood is humidity. This is especially the case with porous hardwood furniture, which can swell, shrink, or crack as a result of moisture disturbance. This leads us to prepare an article, which will be published soon, on the correct care of wooden furniture, so that it lasts as long as possible and is kept in good condition.